Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1887-03-03
CONGRESSIONAL.
Work of the Senate and the House
Of Representatives

Of Representatives.
AT the session of the Senate ON Saturday,
Feb. 10, Senator Beck announced that he had
memorial to present ON American shipping On
which he wished to be heard before the Com
mittee ON Commerce. He had for years been
presenting petitions for tho repeal of the nayi-
CATION laws, in the hope that Americans might
bo able to own steamship lines ON the ocean
Senator Van Wyck, after moving tho $500, ,OOJ
appropriation for improvements on points on
the Missouri River, accepted an amendment by
his colleague, Mr.. Manderson approprlatng
$4,000 for points north of the Missouri River
The Chaplain Of the House OF Representatives
failed TO appear, and for tho first timo in six
years business was commenced without prayer
The Senate amendment appropriating $751;
for the education Of children in Alaska was
concurred in by the House, Notwithstanding the
recommendation OF tho Committee ON Appro-
priations to the contrary. The Senate amend
ment appropriating $1,000 for the erection OF
crate dead are buried near Columbus and john
sons Island, Ohio was non-concurred in
by the House for the purpose OF enab-
ling the Committee OF Conference to prepare n
measure in accordance with the views OF 10th
sides Of the House. Both Senate and House
agreed to the conference report on the retire
ment OF the trade dollar. The House Commit
tee on Invalid Pensions submitted unanimous
report recommending the passage over the
Presidents veto of the invalid pensions bill
Richard O'Heal, late Colonel OF the Twenty
sixth Indiana Volunteers, and John Reed, whose
son, John Reed, died in the service.
RESOLUTION authorizing the Ordnance
Committee to sit in Washington during the re-
cess, and to associate with it three naval ofIi-
GERS. was adopted by tho Senate February q.
The Senate passed the river and hnrbor nppro-
time Canal Company Of Nicaragua. bill was
introduced to locate at Columbus, Tenn. an
arsenal for the manufacture of ordnance
and and ordnance @ stores. The President
bills granting pensions to John d. Fin
cher and Rachael Ann Pierpont. As to the
firstnamed case the President maintains that
the disability for which the pension is asked
was not incurred In the service, and as to
the latter case the President says that
since the bill was introduced a pension
has been granted TO the claimant by the
Pension Ofice at the same rate authorized
in the bill. The President sent to the Senate
the nomination OF Amos M. Thayer, of Missouri,
to be Unitod States District Judge for the East
ern District OF Missouri. In the House of Rep
resentatives Mr. Henderson OF North Carolina
from the Committee on Elections, submitted
report on tho Indiana contested election case OF
Kidd against Steele. The report, which is
unanimous, confirms the right Of the contestee
(Steele) to tho seat.
A BILL to regulate the pay OF officers OF the army
and navy who refuse or neglect to provide for the
support OF their families was favorably re-
ported to the Senate on Feb o. The military
academy appropriation bill was passed. An
adverse report was made on the act to authorize
the salo Of the barracks at Newport, Ky, and
the purchase OF another site. John Sherman ten
dered his resignation as President pro tenn of the
Senate. John +. Norrish was confirmed Sur
veyor General for Minnesota, and Thomas O.
Manning as Minister to Mexico. The President
approved the act for the construction of bridge
over over the mississippi River near Dubuque. Iowa
The House OF Representatives notwithstanding
personal appeal from Mr. Bland, OF Missouri,
refused to pass over the Presidents veto bill
increasing the pension OF John w. Farris.
THE bill 10 create Department of Agriculture
passed the Senate Feb %. The bill creates an
executive department 70 be known as 81. the De De
retary and Assistant Secretary to be appointed
by the President, by and with the advice and
consent OF tho Senate The Secretary Is to re-
executive departments, and the assistant the
same salary as the Assistant Secretary Of
the Interior Department The Bureau
Bureau are to be transferred to the Department
of Agriculture The Senate passed the pension
bill of Thomas s. Hopkins over the Presidents
veto The President transmitted to the Senate
the correspondence with Mexico in the Cutting
case The House OF Representatives passed q
substitute for the Senate bill authorizing the
Senate to retaliate upon the Canadians for shut
ting out American fishing vessels. One section
OF the new measure makes liable to forfeiture
any foreign ship found taking fish within three
marine miles OF our coasts or harbors.
BILLS authorizing railroad bridges over the
Mississippi at Grand Tower, Ill, and Sioux City,
and granting a railroad right Of way through the
Crow reservation in Montana, passed the SEN
ate ON the Gath inst. House bill was reported
favorably for a right Of way through Indian
Territory for the Chicago Kansas and Nebraska
Road. Senator ingalls,, Of Kansas, was nomin-
ated by the Republican Senatorial caucus to be
Presidelt pro tempore Of the Senate, vice Sem
ator Sherman, resigned. The House OF Repre-
sentatives refused, by vote OF 159 20 l3J,
to concur in the Senate amendment to the post
Office appropri alton bill setting aside 500, ,0U0 for
Central and South American mails. Mr.. Mat
son called up the dependent-rension bill, with
the veto message OF the President thereon.
Mr.. Conger thought that the report OF
tho Committee on Invalid Pensions was
complete answer to the Presidents hy-
periodic criticisms on the measure. He
commented upon the action OF the President
IN vetoing the pending measure, yet signing the
Mexican pension bill. The only protests against
the bill had come from the Southern cities and
the money centers. Mr.. O'Hara favored the bill.
and criticised the ruling OF the Pension Office
de- wing aid to colored women who had lost their
sons in th5 war. When tho fifty-fourth aud
Fifty-fifth Massachusetts, Regiments, COM
posed exclusively OF colored men went out, and
the Paymaster offered to pay them less than
other regiments because they wero black,
they spurneI tho money, and said mo; we
are in the cause Of liberty, and IL you cannot
paw us what you pay other soldiers we will fight
for our flag and country without compensation"
Mr.. Bragg, Of Wisconsin, said it was time for
the members OF the House to look after the in-
terests of the real soldier and the business in
terests OF the country. They had drifted along
impelled by species OF sympathetic influence.
regardless OF reason or judgment until the
period was reached which eliminated in
tho pres entation and passage Of one Of
the most scandalous bills which had
ever been sent TO q President for his sig
nature. The people Of the country, without re-
gard to party, had every reason to be thankful
that this bill had been presented to an execu-
I.al r0l, 10. fha
uation In few years the soldiers Of the coun-
try-not the bummers-would have arrived at
an age when he could come to Congress and do
mand as as a right-not ask as a cbarity--that
provision be made for them. Let not Congress-
bankrupt the treasury before that time
arrived by yielding to the demands OF de-
The men who advocated this bill were not the
friends Of the true soldier. They advocated
this bill, many Of them, simply because the
men could vote whom they expected to buy by
this bill Mr.. Bragg said the press opposed the
bill and sustained the President 1hat gallant
soldier, the Governor Of Maine, ChamDerlin,
stood by the President. The great soldier,
Palmer Of Illinois, stood by the Presi-
dent Gov Cox OF Ohio stood by the President.
Old Dan Sckles OF the Third Army Corps
said that the veto was most glorious deed.
IL was only the little minds that went buzzing
about like insects that opposed him. IL is only
the class OF gentlemen who hang around the
Grand Army posts, who crowd themselves In 70
get s. n week and to live upon their comrades,
who are making this grand hue and cry Mr..
Mckinley did not believe with the gentle-
man from Wisconsin that tho beneh-
ciaries wero either shirks or vagabonds
OF good-for-nothing scouudrels. He be-
lieved that there were thousands scat
tered over the country who fought as bravely
as the gentleman from Wisconsin, though they
were not here to tell of their deeds OF courage
and glory. These men generally did their hight
ing ON foot. Mr.. Hepburn said: The state
ment of tho gentleman from Wisconsin lBraggl
that the Grand Army has ropudiated this bill
IL as untrue I'm word and essence as the greater
portion OF all OF it's diatribe OF abuse against
his own comrades. It is not an uncommon thing